{"id":25611,"date":"2015-02-16T09:10:28","date_gmt":"2015-02-16T14:10:28","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/?p=25611"},"modified":"2021-05-19T09:30:07","modified_gmt":"2021-05-19T13:30:07","slug":"tips-for-better-trx-workouts","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/fitness\/tips-for-better-trx-workouts\/","title":{"rendered":"6 Common TRX Exercise Mistakes (and Tips to Fix Them)"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"TRX
Photo: trxtraining.com<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Born in the Navy SEALs, TRX<\/a> \u2014 which stands for total-body resistance exercise \u2014 relies on two hanging straps to test your strength, balance and stability. And thanks to its portability and ease of use, TRX Suspension Training<\/a> is making its way into more and more fitness facilities, home gyms and group fitness classes \u2014 indoor and outdoor \u2014 than ever before. TRX training is also scalable from beginner to advanced, putting the user in complete control of the resistance (simply adjust the nylon straps and the positioning of the body). Free weights and weighted vests can intensify a TRX workout<\/a>, but gravity and bodyweight easily get the job done. Plus, all that instability requires more core engagement to complete the exercises (hello, six pack!).<\/p>\n

But no matter your experience with the straps, there are some common TRX mistakes that can get in the way of an effective workout \u2014 or worse, increase your risk of injury. We spoke with Garson Grant, master trainer at Chelsea Piers Fitness in NYC, to pinpoint the top six TRX<\/a> training sins and how to keep them from holding you back.<\/p>\n

RELATED:<\/strong> 10 Ways You’re Sabotaging Your Workout<\/a><\/p>\n

\"6
Photo: Pond5<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Mistake #1: Starting Incorrectly<\/b><\/h3>\n

Beginning a movement with the body in the wrong position may result in an awkward tango with the suspension trainer. If you start a move too far from where it ends, it\u2019s easy to lose tension in the straps and break a bone rather than a sweat.<\/p>\n

The fix:<\/b> \u201cBegin at the end range of the motion to find out how much tension you need,\u201d Grant says. \u201cThat way you have full tension throughout the whole movement.\u201d For a bicep curl, for instance, line the body up at the end of the movement (arms curled with hands at the temples), then<\/i> bend at the elbows and pull the body toward the anchor (where the TRX is attached).<\/p>\n

RELATED:<\/strong> The 20-Minute TRX Workout<\/a><\/p>\n

Mistake #2: Sagging <\/b><\/h3>\n

When we start to feel tired, it\u2019s a heck of a lot harder to stay stiff as a board. Unfortunately, sagging through the midsection \u2014 rather than engaging the core \u2014 can increase the risk of injury<\/a> by compromising the stability in the lower back.<\/p>\n

The fix: <\/b>Be mindful of your body\u2019s alignment. In a plank<\/a>, for instance, staying aligned from the ankle to the knees to the hips all the way to the ears, puts the body in a safer position. Plus, you\u2019ll get more out of the exercise. \u201cBy having those kinetic landmarks in line,\u201d Grant says, \u201cyour core is engaged and has to work harder.\u201d<\/p>\n

RELATED:<\/strong> 7 No-Crunch Exercises for Six-Pack Abs<\/a><\/p>\n

Mistake #3: Scraping<\/b><\/h3>\n

There\u2019s nothing worse than walking away from a workout with battle wounds. Scraping most often occurs during chest press when the straps rub against the arms and shoulders. \u201cYour body wants to keep the straps right on the skin because it\u2019s easier, but to have a more effective workout you need to keep those straps away from you,\u201d Grant says.<\/p>\n

The fix: <\/b>This one\u2019s simple \u2014 keep the straps from making direct contact with your skin. Easier said than done? Try to focus on using the stabilization muscles in your arms rather than resting the straps on any part of your body. Sometimes a simple adjustment, like moving the hands up a couple inches, can help keep the straps from touching.<\/p>\n

RELATED:<\/strong> 5 Advanced TRX Exercises to Try Now<\/a><\/p>\n

Mistake #4: Slacking<\/b><\/h3>\n

So simple, yet so detrimental, slacking renders most TRX moves<\/a> pretty unproductive. This mistake occurs when the straps aren\u2019t taut through the whole move you\u2019re performing. And if there\u2019s slack in the straps, it\u2019s likely you\u2019re slacking too.<\/p>\n

The fix: <\/b>\u201cIf there\u2019s no tension, you\u2019re not really getting an effective workout,\u201d Grant says. Make sure to maintain tension on the straps throughout each movement, from start to finish. When completing rows, for instance, take a small step back<\/a> to keep the straps from slacking.<\/p>\n

Mistake #5: Sawing<\/b><\/h3>\n

Let\u2019s face it, dealing with gravity is not only a benefit of the TRX, but also a tricky obstacle. Sawing (not to be confused with the TRX saw<\/a> exercise) occurs when unequal pressure in the TRX foot cradles or handles results in the feet or hands swinging up and down (rather then staying in an even plane). Sawing is most common in movements like the supine hamstring curl<\/a> or mountain climbers<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The fix:<\/b> Make sure the handles or foot cradles are parallel before starting a movement, for starters. Another way to avoid sawing is to apply equal pressure to each strap. If that doesn\u2019t alleviate the problem, try slowing down the movement and really engaging the core.<\/p>\n

Mistake #6: Stopping <\/b><\/h3>\n

When an exercise feels too tough, too fast, or if you\u2019re totally wiped from a long day at work, calling it quits after a few shaky reps may feel like the reasonable choice. But to avoid the wasted time and effort, try modifying the move to get you to the finish.<\/p>\n

The fix<\/b>: \u201cA lot of people stop because the exercise gets too hard,\u201d Grant says. Instead of throwing in the towel, simple modifications \u2014 like moving away from the anchor or offsetting the feet by putting one foot in front of the other \u2014 can make a huge difference. Try playing around with the angle of the body (the steeper the angle, the harder) to find can-do variations when the going gets tough.<\/p>\n

Ready to amp up your TRX training? Check out these <\/i>8 Advanced TRX Exercises to Build Strength<\/a> or this 20-Minute TRX Workout<\/a> fit for all levels. <\/i><\/p>\n

Originally posted on March 10, 2014. <\/i><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Whether you\u2019re new to TRX workouts or have been using suspension training for years, check out the most common TRX exercise mistakes and how to fix them. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":43,"featured_media":25614,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"","_seopress_titles_title":"","_seopress_titles_desc":"","_seopress_robots_index":"","site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[24,6,14],"tags":[32,144,83,281,341,353,146],"class_list":["post-25611","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-exercise","category-fitness","category-strength-training","tag-bodyweight","tag-injury","tag-resistance-training","tag-strength-training","tag-tax1living-well","tag-tax2weight-training","tag-trx"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25611","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/43"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=25611"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25611\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/25614"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=25611"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=25611"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=25611"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}